A NEW MEATLESS FAVE

Tried another new recipe from my on-line cooking class last night -- Family Friendly Pad Thai -- and it was definitely a keeper! All you do is heat a little sesame oil in your frying pan, add some diced firm tofu and a little s & p, then saute' it on med-hi until it's good and brown, adding a little minced garlic in the last minute or so.

Meanwhile you mix up a sauce made of one part tamari or soy sauce, two parts maple syrup, two parts good, natural peanut butter and a dash of brown rice vinegar, thinning it with a little water if needed.


Now you pour half of that sauce in your pan with the tofu, add some diced sweet red pepper and zucchini (or green pepper if you prefer) and cook until the veggies are just tender. 


Finally, you add this mixture to some cooked linguine or flat rice noodles, along with the rest of your sauce, some chopped peanuts and chives, et voila -- yummalicious! Especially when served alongside some crispy, oven-roasted broccoli. 


The only thing I would do differently next time would be to add a bit of chopped fresh chili pepper, or dried red pepper, along with my other veggies, since my hubby likes things spicy. Also, if you are using the flat rice noodles, which are cooked by adding them to water that has been brought to a boil but removed from the heat, do not leave them sitting in that cooking water any longer than the recommended time, or they could get a mite gummy.